The One We've Waited For

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi giving remarks at a conference in December (Image)

“Above all, being a Democrat means having compassion for others. It means putting government to work to help the people who need it. It means using all available tools to provide good healthcare and education, job opportunities, safe neighborhoods, a healthy environment, a promising future.”

I felt my pulse intensify as I read this passage from George McGovern’s What It Means To Be A Democrat.

“This is what politics should be,” I thought to myself as I grimaced at the idea of Wilbur Ross’ loan suggestion for those government workers in need of food banks.

That night, I tossed and turned thinking about men named Donald Trump, Wilbur Ross, and Michael Cohen (not exactly who you’d like to dream about.) How many more days or weeks would we go with a government shutdown? America’s future was looking grim as the ones in charge of reopening our republic are the ones who don’t understand the sacrifices, and never have, of a paycheck to paycheck life.

The following evening, I opened my apartment door to hear the ding of my cellphone. Not wanting to check the notification out of the fear it was something for me to do: an assignment, a group project question, a task for work. I let out a deep exhale, unable to take in another breath for a moment as my jaw fell to the floor.

For a little over two years, the nation has questioned why so few of our political leaders stand up to our outlandish president. When Dems speak out against his tasteless statements or border wall proposals, they are usually branded as “liberal extremists.” When people like Senator Bob Corker make bold accusations against the President, the nation seems to be shocked at the idea of a Republican leader disagreeing with Donald Trump. That’s because most of them never do.

This isn’t because all Republican leaders agree with him, but there’s a confusing, permeating fear among too many of our representatives across the aisle who remain silent when it matters most. Despite the “R” beside his name in the 2016 election, Donald Trump is not, and never will be, a representation of traditional conservative values. He’s in a league of his own.

Because of this, we are perplexed, as voters, as to why those on our political stage squander their opportunities to use it.

Enter: Nancy Pelosi.

After being Speaker of the House for less than a month, Speaker Pelosi has shown relentless courage in the Oval Office and on the House floor, unafraid to stand up to the big, bad, orange wolf.

Seeing the Politico headline, I thought back to McGovern’s words. Standing up for the Americans without paychecks, without food on the table — that’s what it means to be a leader, to be a politician, to be…to be a Democrat.

While the future is uncertain and another shutdown seems to be on the horizon, I hope in my lifetime someone writes a new book, mirroring McGovern’s, entitled What It Means To Be A Policymaker. Maybe the first chapter will feature our friend Nancy.